The Dance of The Shadows of Devils and Angels
by The Soulless Sniper
Summary: Both the Rebellion and the Empire need shadow operatives to do things that should never see the light of day. Join Numai Lurada as she learns the intricate dance shadow operates dance to avoid the public eye and aid their chosen causes. (Sabine and Ketsu aren't in it just yet, sorry)
1. Chapter 1: Get out and get in

Chapter 1: Get out and get in

Numai taps a tune on the cell wall trying to take her mind off things. This was the end of the line. A maximum security featureless cell.

The first time she was in an Imperial prison it was a mining camp with her parents when she was child. Her mother was previously a blast technician and taught Numai a lot about explosives. Enough that Numai was able to escape later in life. However her parents were too weak to escape with her.

The second time was after she was caught trying to blow a hole in the prison where her parents were still held. That time she was sent to a manufacturing facility trying to keep her away from high explosives. However she was still around chemicals that could form high explosives and Numai's skills in explosive making were far beyond what the empire thought. She then spent multiple years attacking Imperial installations and convoys before being caught again and ending up here.

She's forgot how long she'd been in here but she did know her execution date can't be far off at this point to the point that she's expecting the next time the door opens to be the death of her. What she really didn't expect was the door to open and a dead stormtrooper to fall in and for the other guard trooper the say, "if you want to get out of here put the armor on and follow me"

"Soooo, who are you?" Numai asked through the helmet com.

"Turn off the external speaker if you want to talk to me," the person snapped.

Numai Starts fiddling with her helmet switches and buttons till she figures out the right button. "Ok, I got it so now will you tell me who you are‽"

"I'm Andronotham Duur'Kad, I'm...well I'm sort of with the rebellion and well...thing are happening here and…" Andronotham sounded remarkably calm for a person escaping a Imperial facility.

"Well that was very vague," Numai said.

"Look I don't even know everything that going on getting you was really all I was told but in planning I found out some things that…well let's just say they're confusing and could be very very bad. That make sense?" Andronotham asked.

"It made enough for now," Numai said.

"Good because we've made it to our getaway vehicle." Numai realized that they were in the main vehicle bay for the facility and there was one armored transport with an annoyed looking officer standing in front of it.

"Units 856248 and 975642, what took you so long‽" the officer barked.

"Sorry sir it was a last minute change for us as well," Andronotham replied with his exterior speaker now on.

"Just get in." The pair entered the transport with the officer taking up positions on the right side of the craft opposite 2 other troopers while the officer took the controls and started going through the procedure of starting the craft and getting clearance to leave, also in the craft was a fairly standard looking astromech droid.

Andronotham deactivated his external speaker and returned to speaking discreetly with Numai. "The astromech is mine so don't shoot it, when I tell you too I need you to shoot the trooper opposite you. I'll take out the one opposite me and the officer. I don't know how good a shot you are and can't risk you shooting the console on accident."

"Sounds fair," Numai said. "I'm guessing we have a bit of a ride before that."

"Yep."

Main Character images (even a only half decent character creator made picture convey way more than I feel I can describe):

Due to ff .net's lack of links the images can be found at my tumblr Mandalore-the-Gamer and searching the tag "the dance of the shadows of devils and angels"


	2. Chapter 2: New and interesting people

Chapter 2: New and interesting people and situations

It was several minutes before Andronotham gave a count down and they shot. The next few minutes were a blur in Numai's adrenaline filled mind. She remembered shooting the trooper, the transport stopping and her helping unload the transport into a speeder as well as seeing new people but then things just blanked.

When she started to come to again she was sitting in the galley of a ship with multiple people around her. A tough looking Rattataki man, and a rather well dressed human women sitting at the table, and in her mind the most beautiful Mirialan woman sitting on the floor next to her with a needle in her arm. "Am I dead?" Numai asked.

"Fortunately you aren't. Your body crashed hard when with adrenal enhancer stopped. My name is Siv by the way, not sexy doctor lady," the Mirialan said.

"I said that‽" Numai asked panicked.

"You said a lot while you were unconscious." Numai recognized the voice as Andronotham and turned towards the sound of the voice to see a Chiss man standing at the kitchen counter.

"So that's what you look like," Numai said.

"Are you surprised?" Andronotham asked.

"Not really, there were subtle things about your voice that gave me a Chiss vibe," Numai said. Andronotham hmmed in response.

"Sooo, I guess can I get introductions?" Numai asked.

"I need to give you a proper check up not just an injection after they dumped you on the floor. Come with me, I'll also give you the real explanations so they can't go into their spiels," Siv said followed by mumbling by each of them about how it was perfectly acceptable for them to be dramatic. Numai followed Siv to a different room on the ship. It seemed like fairly regular crew quarters save for an additional be and medical supplies strewn everywhere. "Sit down there and I'll find the things I need." Numai compiled and sat the waiting. Siv gathered several thing and began her check up. "The Rattataki is named Ell, he's our sniper and basic muscle of the crew. His problem with the empire is similar to our mechanic's. You haven't meet her but she's a human named Kestral. She and Ell are together and they're both abominations in the eyes of the empire you having a different gender than the one they were born with. The well dressed women is Lizel. She is...well that I can't really tell you yet but she's a good fighter and has just as much reason to hate the empire as the rest of us. Also she and Andronotham are together. Andronotham is our leader in the sense that he comes up with the plans but we all sign off on our parts and aren't really under his control in any way. Oh and the astromech is H3-F9, Lizel is removing the imperial paintjob now, he's usually got a dark blue body with gold accents, and a dark red dome with gold accents" By now Siv had finished the check up.

"And what about you?" Numai asked.

"I was a rebel against the empire for a while. I grew up on Alkrisha and when the empire came we fought back hard. I had a few year of medical school under my belt before the rebellion started which made me one of the most qualified medics in the planetary rebellion. I learned quickly through experience and I am the skilled doctor I am today because of it. Don't think I'm not a good fighter though, I..." Siv paused sifting through her memories thinking about what to say. "The leader of the rebellion was badly injured and I was the only one that could operate on him, I obviously did but our positions was being over run. When the troopers entered the room I was operating on her in I pulled her pistol and started shooting...Turns out a surgeon's steady hands make one a pretty good shoot. I finished the operation and we managed to retreat alive. She gave me the pistol to keep. To date I think I'm over the hundreds in successful surgeries and imperial troopers killed."

"Oh come on Siv we both know you keep close count of the numbers," Andronotham said from the doorway.

"Fine," Siv sighed, "183 successful surgeries, 158 imperials killed. And I intend to keep the first number higher. I take it you need Numai for something?"

"Obviously," Andronotham said.

"Well she is physically healthy although I'd highly recommend deactivating the automatic adrenal enhancer on any stormtrooper armor she has to wear in the future, also a set of clothes that isn't an imperial prisoner jumpsuit."

"Noted. Follow me," Andronotham said.

Main Character images (even a only half decent character creator made picture convey way more than I feel I can describe):

Due to ff .net's lack of links the images can be found at my tumblr Mandalore-the-Gamer and searching the tag "the dance of the shadows of devils and angels"


	3. Chapter 3: The Game unveiled

Chapter 3: The Game unveiled

Andronotham lead Numai back to the galley and gestured for her to sit at the table. "So about all the strangeness going on," he handed Numai a datapad, "read."

"Bomber Numai Lucada escaped, this article is three weeks old, have I been out that long‽" Numai asked.

"No you were out for less than an hour," Andronotham answered calmly.

"And what are all these bombings‽ My bombs are precise and I always make sure civilians are not in harm's way! I'm not blowing stuff up in the middle of Zaves square! Who‽ How‽‽ WHY‽‽‽" Numai shouted.

"The empire, because they can, and I'm trying to figure it out," Andronotham answered still maintaining his calm. Numai was briefly shocked by his calm, but his calm helped calm her down. She continued scrolling and reading.

"What's this other stuff?" Numai asked now cam.

"Manifest for the transport we escaped on and decrypted messages," Andronotham answered getting up to get two cups of caf as well as sugar and milk.

"A kilo of baradium? That could level a city! And these messages are between some of King Koltula's top officials."

"Make your caf how you like," Andronotham stated adding some milk and a serious amount of sugar to his caf. "From what I can tell they're playing the game of power and trying for a peaceful takeover." Numai didn't add anything to her caf before drinking it.

"I'm just gonna flat out say I don't understand the game of power," Numai said.

"That's understandable," Andronotham said. "Basically they're using fake you to decrease confidence in Ayania's military and boost confidence in the empire as a form of protection. Also with all the money and favor trading the empire probably planed to uses the baradium for a bomb during the Ayakeresh parade speech to kill King Kultula and General Zaoling."

"Ok I'm following that seems straight forward. What's weird?" Numai asked.

"The weird thing is I thought this planet was just Zersium mines? What makes the people here so valuable that they need a peaceful takeover?" Andronotham asked.

"What do you mean what makes these people valuable‽ They're people!" Numai exclaimed.

"I meant what would make them valuable to the empire. You talked with Siv, the empire doesn't really care about people that aren't imperial. Even less so when they aren't human," Andronotham clarified.

"Well...I don't really know. I thought the mines were the main thing for the planet too..." Numai got lost in thought about her parents and felt tears form.

"I know about your parents and I understand," Andronotham said.

"I know you probably do, but why would the empire use such medieval mining methods?" Numai asked.

"Wait, medieval mine. My knowledge of it said the mine was fairly standard what is a modern mine look like to you?" Andronotham asked.

"Well it'd be a precision blast mine of course. Using precise explosives to separate the or veins from the rocks. Duh," Numai answered like it Andronotham was asking what the modern way for eating was.

"I've never heard of precision blast mining. I don't think there are any other planets that do it," Andronotham said.

"Really?" Numai asked.

"Yes." Andronotham stated.

"Well if something that seems obvious to me could be important. do other planets need the Ayakresh scanners?"

"What?" Andronotham asked.

"Well the composition of soil and rocks on this planet makes it so that Zersium is incredibly hard to find. So first king, King Ayakresh, invented the Ayakresh scanner which could pinpoint Zersium veins. The king keeps the information secret to prevent over mining." Numai explained.

"I think I see the picture now," Andronotham said. He tapped a button on his wrist, and a few seconds latter the rest of the crew came in, including a woman in a jumpsuit that Numai surmised to be Kestral. "Kestral, and Siv, can you two take Numai shopping for an outfit she likes? Ell I need you to head to where the baradium was supposed to be dropped off and see if you can find who was supposed to pick it up." He was met with affirmatives.

After they left Lizel asked "What am I here for?"

"I need to speak with you teacher and figured you should be here," Andronotham answered.

"Oh awesome!" Lizel exclaimed.

"H3!" Andronotham called, and the now properly called astromech rolled into the room, and beeped what sounded like an annoyed tone. "Contact Ahsoka Tano."

Main Character images (even a only half decent character creator made picture convey way more than I feel I can describe):

Due to ff .net's lack of links the images can be found at my tumblr Mandalore-the-Gamer and searching the tag "the dance of the shadows of devils and angels"


End file.
